Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos have apprehended a 32 year old man, Patrick Chukwuemeka with 7.1kg of liquid cocaine. The drug which was emulsified in a solvent and factory packaged as wine was intercepted during the screening of passengers in an Emirate flight from Brazil enroute Dubai.
Three of the nine packs of wine that the suspect imported were found to contain cocaine. The estimated street value of the drug is 63.9 million naira. However, seized cocaine in liquid form is not common in the country as most seizures are in powdery form.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA Ahmadu Giade while inspecting the mode of drug concealment stated that the Agency will continue to expose the tricks of drug barons in the country. The NDLEA boss attributed the seizure to the alertness of officers at the airport. “We are poised to expose the tricks of drug barons in the country. Their calculation was that they could pass undetected but we have proven them wrong. We shall bring these enemies of the society to book” Giade promised.
According to the anti-drug Commander at the Lagos airport, Mr. Hamza Umar, the suspect is believed to be working for a Brazilian drug syndicate. In his words, “this is the second arrest this year and both suspects came from Brazil. This suspect, Patrick Chukwuemeka was caught with 7.1kg of cocaine in liquid form while the first suspect Martins Henry Anuo imported 1.500kg of powdery cocaine from Brazil. 500 grammes were in the sole of his shoes while 1kg was concealed in his hand luggage”.
The suspect Patrick Chukwuemeka who had an Emirate flight ticket number 1764539551392 arrived at about 2300 hours on Monday January 16, 2012. He hails from Enugu and had lived in Brazil for over seven years. Investigation revealed that he left Nigeria to Abidjan, Cote d’ivoire in 2002. The following year he moved to Cape Verde and in 2004 he travelled to Brazil. Patrick had his primary education at Aji Central School Aji, Enugu State where he graduated in 1994. He also attended Aji High School from 1994 to 2000.
In his statement, Patrick said that he indulged in drug trafficking due to financial difficulty. “I earn a living in Brazil as a barber. A Brazilian lady whom I impregnated delivered a baby girl and since then I have been under financial stress to cater for myself and my family. In a bid to survive I have to smuggle the drug for 1.2 million naira. It was my last resort because there was no body to assist me. I am sad”he lamented.
He will soon be charged to court soon.
